Sunday 24 February 2013

Academic Scouts Adelaide Chapter


Akademinis Skautų Sajudis, Adelaidės Skyrius (ASS)
Student Corp “Vytis”

ASS was established in October 16, 1924, at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas. This was the first university-level scout organization.  A member was required to hold a university degree but otherwise carried out scouting activities like any other scout.  The Corp’s motto is "Ad Meliorem" an old saying in Latin, "ad meliorem vertamur". This can be translated to "improve, let's do better!".




The Corps has its own band colour, blue for the sky, meaning dignity,  yellow - the colour of gold, meaning chivalry, purple  for rocks, which means strength.  The band is worn over the right shoulder, blue on top.  The logo depicts a golden lily, blue diamond, worn on the left lapel.

The criteria for membership was; you must be a scout, you must hold a higher degree and be nominated by two members.

Adelaide Chapter of the Academic scouts association was established in 28 May 1950, primarily on the initiative of Vaclovas (Vacys) Ilgūnas.  Vacys had been an Academic scout, and talking to another former scout, Mockūnienė, thought a reunion of Academic scouts was in order.  This turned out to be the formation of the only branch of Lithuanian Academic scouts in Australia.  The first committee comprised of;

President:         Vacys Ilgūnas
Vice-President: Bronė Mockūnienė
Members:         Tadas Žurauskas, Jonas Vildžius

By the end of 1950, the Adelaide chapter had 18 members.  The chapter was active for well over 30 years.  The total number reached was 22.

The scouts organised outings, picnics, lotteries.  The guides visited the sick in hospital, in particular psychiatric hospital.  They met regularly and held an annual outing.  They celebrated their patrons, St Casmir and St George and had a series of lectures on various topics, presented by their own members or invited speakers. 

The cop instigated a literature competition with a $500 prize. Numbers declined as people emigrated from Australia to the USA, a tragic death of a prominent member Jurgis Naujalis occurred.

On November 10th 1974, celebrations of 50 years of Academic Scouts was held at Lithuanian House.
Rūta Bielskytė                            1975
t.n                      Laisvė Daugalienė                     1981
fil. Ps.                Česlovas Dubinskas                   1975 - 1981     
fil. S.                  Vaclovas Ilgūnas                        1950 - 1981
fil. Ps. Dr.          Janina Maželienė                       1950 - 1981
fil. Ps.                Jonas Mikužis                             1975
                           Birutė Mikužienė                        1975
fil. Ps.                Jonas Mockūnas                        1975 - 1981
                           Brone Mockūnienė                    1975 – 1981
                           Jurgis Naujalis
fil. V.s.               Vytautas Neverauskas              1975 - 1981
fil.                      Vytas P Neverauskas                 1975 - 1981
                           Stasė Pacevičienė                      1975 - 1981
fil. Dr.                Nemira Ratkevičienė                1975 - 1981
senj.                   Viktoras Ratkevičius                  1975 - 1981
                           Auksė Stankevičienė                 1975
t.n                      Genė Striaukienė                       1975 – 1981
                           Jonas Vildžius                             1950
fil.                      Alfredas Vitkūnas                       1975 - 1981
fil.                      Tadas Žurauskas                        1950 - 1981

The years are not an indication of their time in the Corps.  It is from two main lists one from 1975 and one 1981.


Seniors Oath
Valuing your honour, I promise to be faithful to God, the Almighty Creator of the world, which is the highest truth, beauty and goodness are the source of my beginning and end;

I promise
To be true to suffering mother Lithuania, working for her freedom and well-being wherever  I am, full of spirit and body, sacrificing their life, including administering the remedy to their national solidarity and love for everyone in Lithuania;

I promise
To serve one's neighbour, in accordance with the principles of love Christianity;

I promise
Be faithful to the Corp’s discipline and traditions and to maintain fraternal relations among members of the Corp now and in the future.

God, help me.



4 comments:

Jonas Mockunas said...

Daina
Great post on the Academic Scouts in Adelaide. One minor correction though - there were also chapters of the Academic Scouts in Sydney (established 1950, see Metrastis Vol 2, pp 430-432) and in Melbourne (established 1952, see Metrastis Vol 2, pp 309-310).
Jonas Mockunas

Daina Pocius said...

Thank you Jonas, I have had that pointed out to me, recently. There will be alot more on scouts soon.

Unknown said...

Hi Daina
The academic scouts in Australia are reforming. I have taken on the role as leader of the ASS in the federal scouts executive (Rajono Valdyba) from early in 2015. We will meeting camping together at Rajonine Stovykla in January 2017 and preparing a 2 day study days program at the centenary camp in Melbourne in January 2018, when we hope that our small group will be joined by other academic scouts from Lietuva and the US and Canada. We already have links with the ASS in Lietuva. I'll be attending some ASS functions and meeting with US leadership next year to get some fresh ideas on our program. I've already been approached by scouts in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide to ask about how they join ASS - it's great to know that there's plenty of interest in this unique branch of scouting.

Unknown said...

Dear Daina Pocius and Lithuanian History in Australia.
I am a researcher from the University of Melbourne, working on a research project looking into the migrant workers (DPs) who were sent to Woomera, South Australia upon arrival in Australia.
I have discovered some of their names on the Lithuanian History site, and in particular, within the section on Academic Scouts.
I am trying to find out more about their life and careers in Woomera as I am writing a book about this topic, specifically about migrant workers in Australia.
I wonder how it might be possible to find any descendants of these people.
Could someone please make suggestions?
Thanks,
Andrew Saniga

The songs my father sang

Paulius Rutenis (Rutkauskas) 19 March 1919 – 28 August 1983 Singer, soloist, actor, director, journalist. A man who was seen on and off ...